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Mon Sep 26, 2005 4:09 pm

Mon Sep 26, 2005 7:41 pm

Elvis, it seems, began to look fitter for the October 1976 tour. This improvement in his appearance continued on to the November tour, but look what happens when he goes to Las Vegas for the final time just a few days later. Health problems and a bloated appearance return with a vengeance. Some of the Vegas shots from this engagement look pretty gross by his standards. What does that tell you? Exactly. Depression can have a negative effect on your health.

And, curiously, as soon as the Vegas season is over, the relative fitness returns and by late December 1976 Elvis looks slimmer than he has done for over 3 years.

January-February 1977 represented the longest break Elvis had had from performing for a year. However, instead of using this break to continue his improvement in fitness, things start to go badly and irretrievably wrong. The situation with Ginger may have been a part of it, but there were many other problems - the book, various lawsuits, his father's health, and general boredom with his career. Two attempts to get him to record failed, and by the time he hit the road on February 12, he was back to the state he had been in Vegas. But, perhaps for the last time, touring seemed to galvanise him, and by the end he had again improved his fitness.

This is why I wonder whether a break from his career, as is often suggested, would have saved Elvis' life. A change of direction maybe, and a willingness to try something that involved hard work. Although rest periods between September and December 1973, October 1974 and March 1975, August to December 1975 had done Elvis some good, they usually involved periods of hospitalisation. Subsequent breaks, January-March 1976, January to February 1977 and June-August 1977 had done Elvis no good at all. Of course the final rest period ended in Elvis' death but I include it here because the death occured the day before a tour was due to begin.

Elvis was a complex individual - many of life's greats are. But the February 1977 tour represents, one final time, how Elvis' health could swing so dramatically in a short period of time. Remember, the weight issue is merely a symptom.

Mon Sep 26, 2005 7:49 pm

Water retention ,edema,bloat is a symptom of liver, kidney and possibly heart disease according to doctors.

Mon Sep 26, 2005 11:17 pm

rick wrote:I've seen footage of this show and it seems like a fairly energetic performance and not the total washout some of the photos might indicate.That top shot with the guitar is not too badrick

I did more homework and had to add this. A reviewer on another site wrote that Elvis was rocking on the 12th(proof in the audience recording), 14th, etc at beginning of tour but at the end (21st) he was very tired and weak . So he performed better when he did not look as well ,and when he did look better, the performance was just the opposite. Thanks for all your input . Got much more than I expected.My quest continues....

Tue Sep 27, 2005 8:40 am

What I want to know, is whether or not he shagged her (Alden)!? Well? )! Lighten up all you serious people!

Wed Sep 28, 2005 5:39 pm

Stephen Butler: Very interesting point of view from you.

"This is why I wonder whether a break from his career, as is often suggested, would have saved Elvis' life. A change of direction maybe, and a willingness to try something that involved hard work. Although rest periods between September and December 1973, October 1974 and March 1975, August to December 1975 had done Elvis some good, they usually involved periods of hospitalisation. Subsequent breaks, January-March 1976, January to February 1977 and June-August 1977 had done Elvis no good at all. Of course the final rest period ended in Elvis' death but I include it here because the death occured the day before a tour was due to begin"

Elvis also gained weight those "rest periods".

Regards Björn

Wed Sep 28, 2005 9:35 pm

Dreambear:

Indeed he did, although not as much as he did, say, in June/July 1975 and the equivalent time of year in 1976. But, as I have said before, this focus on Elvis' weight, with it being the most obvious symptom of health issues, often mask the realities behind his other problems. Elvis was breezing past 40 and not given to any degree of exercise or willpower when it came to shedding pounds he had found so easy to do in the past. Remember Elvis was overweight during the period 1965-66 but I have never heard anyone raise any concerns about this. Why? Because he was easily able to lose it and stay fit between 1967 and 1970.

And of course, that is my argument, that the rest periods were not entirely beneficial to him in every sense. Indeed it is difficult to know exactly what would have benefitted him at this time, since he seemed equally cheesed off by work and inactivity.

When it comes to the grand plans of his career, it is clear that Elvis was all talk. And I say that as someone who is equally as frustrated as many fans around the world at the lack of direction and interest Elvis really took in its finer points. Look at his final career break, in July/August 1977. The Book was due to be published, and Elvis had a golden opportunity to at least start to turn some of his health issues around. He might not have completely succeeded in time for the start of the tour on August 17, but at least he could have done enough to leave fans wondering what all the fuss was about.

But what did he do (allegedly) on his return from Indianapolis? Right. He spends at least a month holed up at Graceland, probably even confined to his room most of the time. He only returns to public view at the beginning of August when his daughter arrives. Then, a few days before the tour he suddenly stops eating, makes a few half-hearted attempts at exercise and says this is going to be the best tour yet. A recipe for disaster.

I posted this photo in another tread earlier...it shows Elvis 9 days later on the 21st, looking 25 pounds lighter.

Last edited by paulsweeney on Mon Oct 03, 2005 3:42 am, edited 1 time in total.

Mon Oct 03, 2005 3:37 am

Thanks Paul. But are you sure that is from Feb 12???

Mon Oct 03, 2005 4:01 am

paulsweeney wrote:I posted this photo in another tread earlier...it shows Elvis 9 days later on the 21st, looking 25 pounds lighter.

Damn, I never seen this photo be4, but he does actually look good here.

He looks about 20 lbs lighter than in June of '77, that's for sure...

Mon Oct 03, 2005 4:19 am

If a soundboard of that show is ever found.... That newspaper headline would make at least a great backcover for an FTD release. I mentioned the best front page or headline. It could be the only headline(1977) of a major newspaper before 8-17.

I knew the pic I posted was from the 21st - it came from Fransescs great Elvis in Concert site, but that pic you posted was new to me. Just confirms that point I was trying to make, which was how dramatically his apprearance changed in such a short space of time.

Great pic!

Tue Oct 04, 2005 2:22 am

JLGB wrote:Entering Sportatorium 2-12-77.

Awesome - he looks good in this photo.

Tue Oct 04, 2005 11:10 am

2-12-77

Tue Oct 04, 2005 8:01 pm

By request...

Wed Oct 05, 2005 1:57 am

JLGB wrote:By request...

You don't have the reat of the article to read do you, it's quite interesting...

Wed Oct 05, 2005 2:20 am

No sir. Only front page I saved. But I do remember reading the girl broke into his home in Beverly Hills and stole a brick! Cannot forget that story Under the photo (caption) reads "Elvis at 42- more grace,fewer gyrations and in small letters reads "but he gets the same frenzied response".

Looks like Elvis' shows were still causing riots and stirring up
controversy even at the end...

KOOL...

wish this publicity would have leaked out and made
headlines, rather than focusing on the damn looks and weight issue...

Thu Sep 20, 2007 6:28 am

Hope the owner of soundboard sells it to me or to FTD etc...I will get it out for free..if it gets in my hands..great show... REALLY!. FEB 12 1977! Moi was ther-a-roo!!

Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:14 am

Crash-dieting was a fad back then, and though effective for a bit, it also saps one of one's energy, Elvis included.

Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:14 am

Unfortunately I have not listened to a soundboard recording of this show but it seems to be quite good. However, Elvis looked very bad and its really hard to believe how much his looks had become worse since only a few weeks before. He really must have eaten like an elephant and taken all "medication" he could get to look so much worse within only six weeks.

Thu Sep 20, 2007 12:48 pm

good thread and on the whole it was a good show..Elvis deserves 10/10 for HIS EFFORT but pity he fails on some songs like unchaned melody -still it was a good start and not really equalled on this tour until 3-4 days later.